The Port of Hueneme Secures Another Environmental Win

Port is named recipient of $5M Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Fund

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[PORT HUENEME, CA – October 10, 2022] – The Port of Hueneme has been awarded $5 million dollars as part of the Volkswagen (VW) Environmental Mitigation Fund. The funds from this grant will be applied towards the purchase of shoreside power hardware components for the Port’s North Terminal and will add to the currently existing South Terminal shoreside power used for reefer and container vessels.

“The shoreside power infrastructure installation project investment is part of our legacy of environmental stewardship at the Port” said Kristin Decas, Port of Hueneme CEO & Port Director. “This funding will help us towards the build-out of a brand-new strategic infrastructure that’s needed to plug in our Ro-Ro customers ships at the berth and to keep us competitive in the global automotive and containership market.”

The North Terminal Shore Power project would also allow for Ro-Ro vessels to plug into the electrical grid and avoid the use of auxiliary emissions while at berth at the Port of Hueneme.

The Port continues to aggressively work to reduce air emissions while moving essential cargo and providing quality, high-paying jobs.

The Port of Hueneme North Terminal Shore Power project provides state of the art electrical infrastructure and electrical-grid-base connection, allowing ocean going vessels to shut down their diesel auxiliary engines while at berth—effectively eliminating vessel diesel emissions while at berth.

Vehicles being driven off a “Roll On/Roll Off” vessel. After the North Terminal Shore Power project is completed, the vessel will be able to plug in while these operations are happening.

On average, 210 vessels per year are expected to use the shore power facility annually resulting in a 94 percent reduction in particulate matter and a 99 percent reduction in Nitrogen Oxides over the lifetime of the entire shore power infrastructure project. The diesel emissions eliminated from vessels while at berth and the overall emission reductions generated by this project will improve the local air quality, especially for surrounding communities and those working at the Port.

“The new North Terminal shoreside power system will drastically reduce emissions and provide grid-based electrical; connection redundancy to different classes of ocean-going vessels,” said KJ May, Engineering Manager at the Port of Hueneme.

The improvements at the Port of Hueneme will effectively eliminate noise and emissions from auxiliary engines, thus improving the labor working conditions and increasing the quality of life for neighboring communities. The project will also benefit shippers, truckers, terminal operators, and dock workers.

The VW grant will have long-term impacts on regional and national transportation systems by upgrading the infrastructure and significantly reducing the emissions generated by goods movement.

President of the Board of Harbor Commissioner Mary Anne Rooney said: “We are happy to get this project started as part of our environmental stewardship program, as it will significantly improve regional air quality in an Environmental Protection Agency designated priority location. It will also provide redundancy if ever the existing shore power system at the South Terminal becomes temporarily unavailable due to construction or other projects.”

Image shows the project location and the proximity of it to the surrounding area.

The Port of Hueneme is aiming to get the North Terminal Shore Power System operational within calendar year 2024. Once completed, the Port will maintain contracts to keep the shoreside power electrification equipment in operable condition for the life of the equipment—which is expected to be at least 20 years.